Cosmos topple Eagles

ARLINGTON -- Early and late, and with regularity in between, Springfield created the space and linked the passes needed to pressure the Arlington Memorial High School goal.

Over 80 minutes in the opening round of the John Werner Tournament, that creative formula generated the offense needed to power the Cosmos to a 7-0 victory against the host Eagles in boys soccer action Wednesday night.

Division II Springfield got three goals and an assist from Peter Kendall and let loose for five goals in the second half to pad a 2-0 halftime edge.

"My guys just didn't show up to play," Arlington coach Todd Wilkins said. "We had 10 days off and we just didn't show up to play. We got our butts kicked, bottom line."

Springfield (3-3-1), the three-time defending champion, faces Twin Valley, which posted a 6-3 win against the Otters in Wednesday's first game, in the championship tilt at 7 p.m.

"I think it was just what we've been working on in practice, finding the open guy, hitting his feet, working together," Springfield coach Paul Kendall said. "That's what hasn't been happening. Tonight it all kind of clicked."

Springfield seized the lead in less than 90 seconds as Tanner Aberle finding Kendall for the opener 1 minute 16 seconds into the contest. The Eagles kept the Cosmos at bay for the next half hour but Kendall struck again with a hard, low free kick to double the margin with 2:28 left until halftime.

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Six minutes into the second half, Kendall's corner kick to set up Colin Churchill for the 3-0 lead dashed the renewed intensity the hosts brought out of the break, setting in motion the five-goal barrage.

"We knew they'd be a hard-working team. I think once we got a couple of goals and especially when we got another one in the second half, I think they got frustrated," Paul Kendall said.

In its first game since switching to new formation, Arlington, which got 10 saves from goalkeeper DJ Jennings, was unable to string together the combinations needed to free forwards Fred Pickering and John Esposito for consistent chances.

Tim Hildreth made five stops for the Cosmos.

"We didn't generate the offense we know how to generate," Wilkins said. "We played kickball, played scared -- I don't know why."

The Arlington girls take on Twin Valley in the girls tournament tonight at 7 p.m.

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